Top Tips for Buying Your First Car

It can be a pretty daunting experience to buy your very first car. Even if you are an adult, the prospect of buying a car if you’ve never done it before can be scary! There’s nothing wrong with getting a little help and we’ve got this article to get you started. 

If you’ve never had a car before, then you may not know whether a Ford is a good brand to drive in or what the Seat Leon reliability may be. You may not know whether a Mercedes is a good idea over a VW Beetle. The point is that you need to get through the process seamlessly. With this in mind, we’ve put together a list of top tips for buying your first car so that you can get through it easier than you think.

1. Do as much reading as possible. Read up on the brands of cars that you like the look of and learn what you can about it. Buying your very first car is going to be a huge financial commitment and you want to get this right the first time so you’re not wasting any money. It will help you to understand more than the brand, however. You need to learn the full process of buying a car and what it’ll entail. You should consider whether or not you want to ask people to help you during this process, too.
2. Consider what you can afford. Your budget for a new car goes beyond the actual car itself. You have to factor in insurance and costs associated with buying a car, whether brand new or off the dealership. It may be the best option to pay cash for your car but what if you need finance? You need to read up on this as much as you can in advance. Most car buyers require finance to buy their car so learn what to budget for that, too.
3. Always shop for the preowned options. A brand new, never driven car is a nice luxury to have but shopping for preowned options is a good idea, too. You need to consider that used cars are cheaper to run and so they should be pre checked by the dealer. It’s likely that a car is well maintained, too, so you should always shop with a dealership you know you can trust. 
4. Hold an inspection. Take as much time as you need to to test drive and inspect a car. You should think about making a point of learning what to look for in a car inspection and then bring someone knowledgeable along with you. You don’t want to be ripped off and it’s very common for that to happen when you are buying a car, especially if the dealer can spot that you have no idea what you’re looking for.
5. Get your financing sorted early. If you’re not a cash buyer and you plan to get finance for your new car, then you need to secure it in advance. You might need a deposit to go along with your car financing so get that squared away as early as you can. When you pay a deposit, you show that you are likely to pay your installments regularly and on time. The more money you put down, the less money you need to pay every month.